I know, I probably run too often at a 'steady' or faster pace. Grellan and Mike both commented on this. In my defence, firstly I blame my coach (Olympic steeplechaser and 47min 10-miler) in school he had the philosophy that a training session isn't a training session unless you're totally wiped out at the end!! It's always good to blame someone else for your own failings!! :)
Secondly, I feel (probably incorrectly) that if you want to race at 6-minute pace or lower running 7-minute pace should feel 'easy'. Hence the majority of my 'easy' runs are in the 7 :00 to 7:30 range as I'm trying to make my body learn to feel easy at this pace. Mind over body and all that!!
Thirdly, I don't run every day so I class my days off as my 'recovery' days. But having said that I do try to introduce some 'recovery' runs but if I'm running alone I get bored with the slow pace and tend give in to the inner demon that wills me to run faster (probably a hang up from my track racing days!!)
However, I don't think that my 'fast' running has affected my consistency - I've plenty other excuses for this!! But it may in the past have contributed to some of my injuries.
On Friday I went out for an 'easy' 5+ mile run at lunchtime (5.20miles 7:36 @ 143bpm).
Saturday and Sunday were wipe outs with a hangover and Christmas shopping respectively taking priority!! That gave the following total for the week:
Week Total (15/12/2008 to 21/12/2008) - 4 runs23.87 miles - 2:51:26 - 7:11min/mile - 155bpm
Having missed the weekend I went out for my long run yesterday (Monday). This was to be my first run over 10 miles since the end of October and this week I choose a 12.5mile route that I last ran in September. My HRM failed (for some reason - reindeer interference I presume) but I reached the 10-mile mark in just over 73mins (7:18 pace) and felt very comfortable - a good sign. But I did take it easy over the last (uphill) 2.65miles and averaged 7:59 for that bit. Overall 12.65mile in 1:34:10 (avg. 7:27).
Today the legs were a bit tired from yesterday's run (right achilles a bit sore/stiff and both quads tender) but other than that no ill effects. So tonight was another 'easy' 5 miles in 37:51 (average 7:36 pace 143bpm). Just enough to compensate for some of Thursday's turkey!!
Happy Christmas to all and happy running in 2009!!
4 comments:
There seems to be a "school of thought" to back up every way imaginable for someone to train. Whatever way you want to train, you can find text to back it up:
If you want to run faster you have to run slower.
If you want to run faster you have to go longer.
If you want to run faster you have to run more often.
blah blah blah.
Then there's the more direct approach:
If you want to run faster you have to run faster!!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!!
Lookin good for the Mallow 10 in a few weeks. Happy Christmas. I might see you in Bandon on Sunday?
Only you can decide which training philosophy you want to follow. After last summer I know for sure that I'd rather train long and slow than short and fast.
Anyway, we can compare the effects of training in Mallow soon.
Thomas, having missed any serious training in November I don't know what sort of shape I'll be in by the Mallow-10 but we'll see....
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